


A Fortuitous Thing

by yumedake



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe, M/M, Masturbation, Sexting, The AU in which Will has all the charm, Will is a naughty minx, Will knows what he wants, and Hannibal is a sad older gentleman with no game, and Hannibal is just along for the ride, based on a Twitter prompt, bathroom hookup, blowjob
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-18
Updated: 2016-05-27
Packaged: 2018-06-09 05:24:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6891922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yumedake/pseuds/yumedake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An AU based on a Twitter prompt in which Hannibal is a middle-aged man who is sorely lacking in confidence and Will is a self-assured younger hottie that catches Hannibal's eye.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It was two in the afternoon on a Tuesday when Hannibal Lecter received a message notification from the dating app that he had loaded onto his phone. After months of failed connections and endless searches, someone had finally decided that they wanted to meet up with him. Either that, or they had decided to take pity on a middle-aged man who didn't get much action. Hannibal decided that he didn't care which it was, at least not right now. Hannibal Lecter was lonely and he was simply excited to have the opportunity to meet someone new, someone who had contacted him no less. Hannibal had messaged the man back an hour later, reasoning that he didn't want to seem too desperate. The resulting conversation had ended in plans for dinner on Friday evening at a reasonably posh restaurant. 

By the time Friday rolled around, Hannibal had been fretting for three days about what he should wear, trying on outfit after outfit not unlike a nervous teenager. Presentation was everything, wasn't it? You never got a chance to make a second first impression. The clothes in Hannibal's closet weren't in terrible disrepair but it was clear he did not spend much time at the tailors. Everything seemed to scream "I'm a boring psychiatrist" and was decidedly not the image that Hannibal wanted to portray even though it was, unfortunately, the truth. Hannibal had ultimately decided on a pair of dark grey slacks, a white button down shirt and a dark sport coat that had been patched on the elbows. The outfit wasn't too shabby but it wasn't an outright misrepresentation of him. Honesty was the best course of action, especially if Hannibal wanted to pursue anything with this mystery suitor. At least, this was the best outfit Hannibal could pull together without driving himself mad with second guesses. 

At five-thirty Hannibal found himself anxiously wetting and combing his hair, trying to stick down an errant strip of dark hair which seemed to refuse to stay put no matter what he did. In the interest of time, Hannibal eventually left it as it was and headed out the door to make his way to the chosen venue, Charleston, a Zagat rated restaurant in a trendy section of downtown Baltimore. It was a short drive from Hannibal's home and Hannibal had left early to ensure he wasn't late for the specified meeting time of seven p.m. 

At eight-thirty, Hannibal sat alone in a booth, passing his glass of wine from one hand to the other across the table in front of him. The waitstaff had been wonderful to him but Hannibal hadn't missed those glances of pity cast in his direction. The reservation he'd made had been for two at seven but ninety minutes on, it seemed his company would not be joining him after all. Hannibal had checked his messages seemingly a hundred times but there was no word. Hannibal held out hope that maybe the man had simply gotten stuck in traffic (so late?) or that he had an emergency that had sprung up that prevented him from messaging but Hannibal wasn't an idiot... in his heart, he knew he had been stood up.

Hannibal dared a glance up at the other patrons of the restaurant, glancing around at happy couples and business partners all engrossed in conversation. There were smiles and laughter, the soft drone of excited chatter all around him. Hannibal wondered if anyone had noticed that he had sat there alone. In his sweep of the room, his gaze fell upon a young man with dark, wavy hair dressed in a sharp white suit, reclined against the back of his corner booth with a tumbler of some amber liquid in front of him. The man glanced up as Hannibal looked at him and he raised his glass to Hannibal with a smile. Hannibal damned his nervous self-consciousness as he quickly averted his eyes. The man had obviously been toasting someone at another booth, anyway. No one that handsome would pay Hannibal any attention. 

Hannibal took a sip of his wine, raising his glass just so he could look over the rim of it at the man without being too obvious about it. He had been joined by a waitress who was bringing him another drink. Hannibal watched as the man put on an easy charm, a slightly crooked smile curving his lips, white teeth on display as he appeared to chat the girl up. The girl took the flirtation with casual grace as befits a professional but it was clear that even with all of her experience fielding the advances of patrons that she was just a bit flustered. The waitress pushed her hair behind her ear and shifted her stance, smiling and laughing at the man's words. The din of the restaurant was too steady for Hannibal to make out any of the conversation - not that he was listening - but there must have been compliments involved judging by the way the waitress giggled and cocked her head to the side. Hannibal tore his eyes away from the spectacle, feeling almost inappropriate for watching. It was as if he had been viewing a demonstration of a certain charm and charisma that belonged to people far less dull than he was, like a peek into a secret club to which Hannibal could never hope to belong. 

When Hannibal looked up next, the man was gone. Hannibal sighed and glanced around the room for a moment, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible before returning his attention to his nearly empty glass of wine. The waiter who had been minding Hannibal's table returned a moment later with a refill and Hannibal accepted it gratefully. Hannibal knew to cut himself off before he needed to drive home but in the meantime, he was more than content to numb the sting of rejection with an adult beverage or three. 

"Stood up, huh?" Came a soft voice, to the left of Hannibal.

Hannibal's head shot up and he turned to see that the young man in white had moved to the booth adjacent to his own. Hannibal's eyes went wide in surprise though he attempted to tame his expression just a little. Best not to be too obvious or to get his hopes up too much. Hannibal's answer came first as an embarrassed nod of the head.

"I'm sure there's a good reason for it." Hannibal mumbled, reaching for his wine to take a sip and shut himself up before he sounded too pathetic.

The man nodded his head, lips slightly pursed in thought for a moment. Standing from the seat, the man rounded the edge of the booth that separated him from the older man. Stopping at the entrance of the booth in which Hannibal sat, the man gestured to the empty space with a charming smile.

"May I join you?" The man asked, his drink in hand.

Hannibal nearly spit his wine out onto the expensive table linen but he managed to recover clumsily. Nodding his head a bit too quickly, Hannibal offered the man a glimpse of a smile. As the man took his seat, Hannibal's gaze noted the finer details. The man was quite handsome, maybe in his mid to late twenties with what were quite possibly the most beautiful crystalline eyes that Hannibal had ever seen. There was well-kept dark facial hair across the man's jaw and upper lip and neatly styled dark hair which might have been curly if it were longer, pushed back away from the man's face. Following the lines of the man's neck and shoulders, Hannibal noted the cut of the suit and the heather grey shirt beneath, all of which must surely have been tailored for it fit like a glove. It wasn't until Hannibal's gaze swept back up to the man's face that he realized he'd been caught staring.

"My name's Will Graham. Pleased to meet you." The man said smoothly, offering his hand to Hannibal as he set his drink on the table.

Hannibal could feel his cheeks burning and he hoped to whatever god was listening that it wasn't as visibly obvious as it felt. Hannibal tried to smoothly wipe his palm on his napkin before shaking hands with Will. 

"I'm Hannibal. Hannibal Lecter."

Will's brows arched in surprise. An expression that Hannibal was used to seeing when they learned his name. It wasn't exactly your typical American response. 

"What an interesting name!" Will remarked, directing that charming smile in Hannibal's direction like the rays of the sun. "Tell me, Hannibal. What do you do?"

Hannibal found himself fidgeting with the stem of his wine glass as he came to realize that this man genuinely meant to keep him company for a while. 

"I'm a psychiatrist." Hannibal answered simply, a dry chuckle escaping past his lips. "Nothing too glamorous. How about you, Will. What do you do?"

Will's lips were upturned at the corner ever so slightly in polite amusement at Hannibal's nervousness. 

"I work for the FBI as an instructor at Quantico. I've been moonlighting recently as a criminal profiler." Will answered with a charming smile before furrowing his brow and narrowing his eyes in mock seriousness. "You're not a criminal, are you Hannibal?"

Hannibal looked up in surprise at Will and shook his head, raising his hands almost as if he were surrendering.

"No, n-no, I'm not." Hannibal stammered, chiding himself silently for his overblown reaction to what had obviously been a playful question.

Will laughed, a sound like music to Hannibal's ears, and his smile returned.

"Good. Now I won't feel bad about buying you another drink." Will said, raising his hand to gesture to the waitstaff, drawing the same waitress Will had been flirting with to their table. "Another glass of wine for Hannibal, please, and one for myself as well." 

The waitress nodded her head, casting an almost confused glance at the pair of them (mostly Hannibal) before she turned and made her way to the bar to fulfill the order.

Will turned in his seat to face Hannibal and get a good look at him. Hannibal kept his eyes averted, afraid to look up and see too much amusement in Will's expression. Will, however, found the man's nervousness and obvious lack of confidence almost endearing in a way. There was a soft smile on Will's face as he got a good look at Hannibal who was all dark hair, amber eyes and plush lips...to say nothing of those magnificent cheekbones. Will licked his lips absently before speaking.

"Tell me about the idiot who stood you up." Will invited, pointing his knees toward Hannibal's so that they might brush, accidentally, of course. 

Hannibal shrugged his shoulders and looked up at Will as he drank down the remaining wine in his glass. 

"I don't know anything about him, to be honest. It was a match from one of those dating apps." Hannibal admitted, his voice getting progressively quieter with every word.

Will nodded his head and considered the information.

"So, you're single, then?" Will asked, his gaze unwavering.

Hannibal looked up at Will and for a moment, he could only gaze at the handsome man. There was absolutely no way that Will was showing genuine interest in him but Hannibal couldn't help but let himself be just a little hopeful. Maybe this night wouldn't be a total bust after all.

"Yes. I have been for some time." Hannibal replied, pausing for a breath before continuing. "What about you? I can't imagine someone like you being single."

Will smiled and canted his head to the side as he looked at Hannibal.

"Why is that?" Will asked, curious as to what would make Hannibal say something like that.

Hannibal shrugged his shoulders and glanced up in thanks as the waitress delivered their ordered drinks before returning his attention to the tablecloth. He couldn't look up at Will when he answered his question.

"You're a very handsome man and charming to boot. I can't imagine someone hasn't scooped you up yet." Hannibal answered, risking a glance up at Will.

Will laughed and reached for his glass, taking a sip of the wine he'd ordered. Will savored the taste of the wine for a moment, noting all of the little intricate notes that could be discerned.

"Who says I want to be taken?" Will asked, a bit of double-entendre coloring his response. "I enjoy being single. It's freeing. Besides, my work demands a lot of my attention and at very odd hours so I don't really have time for relationships."

Hannibal looked up at Will and swallowed his unasked question down with another drink of wine. Will seemed to catch the fact that there was something left unsaid and he directed his blue-eyed gaze at Hannibal in prompting. Hannibal averted his eyes to the depths of his dark wine.

"Why would you spend what free time you have chatting with a sad old psychiatrist?" Hannibal asked, unwilling to look up to see the look on Will's face.

Will sighed softly and shifted, sliding himself up next to Hannibal. Their thighs touched each other though Will's upper body was twisted to look at the older man, really look at him. It was clear by the slump of Hannibal's posture and his downcast eyes that he truly did not believe himself worthy of Will's company. This simply wouldn't do. Reaching up, Will used gentle fingertips to brush a rogue lock of hair across Hannibal's forehead. Hannibal stilled like a rabbit who had been seen by a predator in the garden.

"Maybe I think you're worth my attention. Maybe..." Will paused, reaching to trail one fingertip slowly down the side of Hannibal's face, over glorious cheekbones and finally down the side of his neck. "...maybe I think you're not a sad old psychiatrist but a handsome older man whom the fates have decided to put in my orbit. Fortuitous thing, your being stood up." 

Hannibal looked up then, wide-eyed and well and truly shocked at what he had just heard come out of Will's mouth. Hannibal's lips parted a bit to speak but nothing came out. Will leaned forward and tilted his head as if to kiss Hannibal but at the last moment, he swerved toward Hannibal's ear to speak in a soft, breathy tone.

"What do you say to letting me make up for your lousy would-be date?" 

Hannibal closed his eyes and every fiber of his being fought back the moan that he wanted to give in response to Will's rather tempting invitation.

"How would you do that?" Hannibal asked, wondering just what Will's intentions were.

Will smiled, his lips brushing Hannibal's earlobe ever so slightly. 

"Why don't you follow me to the restroom and find out?" Will offered, tilting his head to catch Hannibal's earlobe between his teeth to give it a little tug.

Will pulled back from Hannibal and flashed him a mischievous smile before he slid out of the booth. Pausing to straighten his sports coat, Will turned from the booth and walked in quiet confidence toward the men's restroom that was behind the bar. Hannibal swallowed nervously, wondering if this was for real. Aside from the sheer ludicrousness of catching Will's eye to begin with, Hannibal had never done anything quite so salacious as meet another man in the restroom of a packed restaurant. Reaching for his wine, Hannibal took a drink and then another and another until his glass was empty. Rather than move the empty glass to the end of the table to signify that he was done with it, Hannibal left the glass within reach, contemplating his next move. 

In the end, a mixture of curiosity and sheer desperation got Hannibal to his feet. Glancing around in what he was sure was a rather conspicuous manner, Hannibal smoothed his hair across his forehead before he set off for the restroom. Will had been gone for a few minutes by this point and no one would suspect anything, would they? Hannibal tried to choke down his nerves as he passed the waitress that had been flirting with Will and reached to push open the dark, heavy door with the little man on the plaque. 

Will looked up and smiled a genuine, happy smile as Hannibal made his way inside the restroom. The room itself was dimly lit, dark and ornate like the rest of the restaurant was. Hannibal found himself studying the sleek brushed nickel of the water faucet and sink as he avoided Will's gaze. 

"Don't tell me you followed me in here to appreciate the interior design." Will teased, chuckling softly. 

Turning on heel, Will made his way to the larger of the four stalls and opened the door. Hannibal was grateful as he noted that the doors came all the way down to the floor with no gaps through which someone might catch an eyeful. Before Hannibal could even think to second guess himself, he was moving toward Will like a moth to flame. 

As soon as the two men were inside of the stall, Will pulled the door closed behind him and locked it, rendering them securely secluded from the outside world. The noise from the restaurant was nothing more than a muted hum, too low to be distracting. Will moved away from the door and crowded Hannibal's space, forcing the older man to press his back to the wall of the little room. 

"It's going to sound cliche but..." Will started, raising his hands to press them to the slight swell of Hannibal's belly, rubbing up over a muscular chest. "...I don't normally do this." 

Hannibal chuckled too much, he thought, and closed his eyes, his nerves rising up like flames at a bonfire. 

"I can't say that I've ever done this either." Hannibal answered, his voice catching in his suddenly parched throat. 

Will hummed a soft sound of acknowledgment and tilted his head to bring their lips together in a heated kiss. That moan that had crept up Hannibal's throat was set free and Hannibal could feel his cheeks heating up. In spite of his nervousness, Hannibal's arms raised and his hands moved to rest at the small of Will's back, beneath the jacket he wore as he returned Will's kiss. Will reached between the two of them with his right hand and worked blindly at the belt buckle, button and zipper at the front of Hannibal's trousers. Hannibal wasn't sure if he should be embarrassed by the fact that he was already hard, his body overreacting to the given attention after having been starved for so long. Will simply hummed his approval into their kiss as his hand slipped into the folds of Hannibal's trousers so that he could rub the outline of Hannibal's cock through the soft, well-worn fabric of his underwear. 

"Mm, you've been blessed, I see." Will murmured against Hannibal's lips, giving the bulk of Hannibal's cock a squeeze. 

Hannibal's hips jerked forward, seeking more of that wonderful touch. He didn't know how to answer Will or even if he should and so he moaned again, a low, needy sound. Will chuckled in response and kissed his way along Hannibal's jaw and the side of his neck before he moved to sink to his knees on the dark tile floor. Opening his eyes, Hannibal stared down at Will in disbelief as he watched Will's dexterous fingers pull his cock from the confines of his clothes. Will's fingers closed around the shaft, giving a squeeze and a few tugs before turning to grin up at Hannibal.

"I love an uncut cock." Will said simply, turning his eyes back to Hannibal's heavy cock in his hand.

Hannibal groaned and nearly came right then as Will stroked the length of his cock, sliding the foreskin along the shaft and over the tip before revealing the dark head, already glistening with precome. The last thing that Hannibal saw before he closed his eyes was Will licking his lips devilishly and parting those sinful lips to take Hannibal's cock into his mouth. 

Will reached to grasp one of Hannibal's hips as he began to work the length of Hannibal's cock, his free hand gripping the base between thumb and forefinger, just tight enough to give Hannibal an extra level of pleasure. It was all Hannibal could do to keep himself upright as Will sucked him off, his head tilted back far enough to rest against the wall behind him. 

Hannibal brought one hand down to the back of Will's head, his fingers threading in carefully styled hair. Will pulled his hand from Hannibal's hip and placed it over Hannibal's hand, curling so that Hannibal might squeeze his fist and tug on his hair. As Hannibal followed the silent command, Will moaned in the back of his throat and returned his grip to Hannibal's hip. 

Will began to bob his head, sucking along the length of Hannibal's cock while he worked the tip with the flat of his tongue in rolling motions, savoring the taste of the clear precome that had been seeping steadily from the swollen tip. Hannibal was moaning shamelessly, temporarily forgetting the setting in which this was happening. There was a definite possibility that someone could hear them, especially if they had come to use the restroom as well but Hannibal couldn't bring himself to care...not with the feeling of the heat of Will's mouth and the hug of Will's lips on his cock. 

It was an embarrassingly short amount of time between the beginning of their tryst and the time where Hannibal felt the tight coil of his orgasm winding and curling deep in his lower belly. It was an even shorter amount of time until the pressure within him had built impossibly. Hannibal's balls tightened up high and his cock swelled in warning as Will's mouth brought him to the very edge of release. 

"W-Will...oh, God I'm going to..." Hannibal managed to mumble, not wanting to force Will to finish him off if that was not the plan. 

Unperturbed, Will continued to suck Hannibal off, the grip at the base of Hannibal's cock tightening just so. Hannibal was coming moments later with a guttural moan, his fist tightening in Will's hair as he shot hot spurts of cum into Will's eager mouth, an offering which Will swallowed down greedily.

It was as Hannibal was fighting to steady his breath, his heart thundering in his chest that Will pulled back from Hannibal's cock, a lewd, wet sound temporarily breaking the silence. Will turned his attention upward and offered Hannibal a smile after making a show of licking his lips.

"That...was fantastic." Will said softly, looking well and truly pleased with himself. 

Hannibal's eyes were slow to open and when they did, his vision was clouded for a moment in the haze of the afterglow of his orgasm. Will moved to stand, gently tucking Hannibal back into the confines of his trousers before fixing the button, zipper and belt. As the cloud of pleasure began to dissipate, confusion set into Hannibal's mind as he looked at Will.

"Don't you... shouldn't I help you out?" Hannibal stammered, concerned that he was not doing his part. 

Will shook his head and leaned into Hannibal's space to press another kiss to Hannibal's lips, letting it linger a moment before parting his lips to give Hannibal a taste. Hannibal slipped his tongue inside of Will's mouth, tasting himself on Will's tongue. Their tongues coiled and caressed each other's for a few moments before Will pulled away. 

"We'll save that for next time." Will answered, reaching into the pocket of Hannibal's jacket to fetch his cellphone.

With a swipe of his thumb, Will unlocked Hannibal's phone while Hannibal looked on, too stunned to do or say much of anything at all. A few gestures later, Will had gotten into Hannibal's contacts and had created one for himself, keying in his phone number. To complete the process, Will clicked on the profile picture and turned on the camera, raising the phone up so that he could take a picture of himself to remind Hannibal just who this number belonged to. After saving the contact, Will put the phone back where he had found it in Hannibal's pocket. 

"Call me sometime? I'd love to see you again." Will purred, reaching up to smooth Hannibal's hair across his forehead. 

Hannibal nodded dumbly, unsure that he believed what had just happened. Before Hannibal could formulate a sentence that wasn't complete and utter nonsense, Will had unlocked the stall door and left Hannibal to his own devices. Hannibal had to take several minutes to compose himself before he could dare to move his feet and carry himself back into the restaurant. 

As Hannibal took the walk of shame back to his booth, he was sure that everyone knew what had happened. Hannibal imagined the judgement behind the glances in his direction as he crossed the restaurant floor. When Hannibal got back to his booth, he noted that the check had been paid and a tip left for the drinks that Hannibal had enjoyed and the glass of wine that Will had ordered for himself. Hannibal glanced around the room, looking to locate Will but he was long gone. 

Hannibal sighed and pulled his phone from his pocket, opening up his contacts to see the name, picture and number that Will had entered. After staring at Will's profile picture for a moment, Hannibal went back to the app list and deleted the dating apps that he had installed. It didn't matter who he might have met through those services...it was clear that the universe had other ideas and truthfully, Hannibal couldn't wait to see what Will's promised "next time" had in store for him.


	2. Chapter 2

Hannibal had waited a respectable three days before his urge to contact Will won out. In Hannibal's eyes, it was a triumph of self-control considering his desire for the man had only increased the longer he'd been without him. Besides, Hannibal didn't wish to seem as desperate as he felt and since Will had made it clear that he had no time for relationships, three days was just long enough, wasn't it? It began with a simple text. 

[4:47 PM] (Hannibal) _Hello, Will. It's Hannibal. How are you doing?_

It was another couple of hours before Hannibal had gotten a reply, during which he had just about torn the rapidly silvering locks from his head, fretting about his phrasing. Was it too casual? Not casual enough? Hannibal's thoughts had inevitably strayed to the elephant in the corner of his mind palace: how many others did Will have this sort of acquaintance with? Surely a man like Will Graham, FBI agent had men (and probably women) falling all over him, lighting up his phone day and night with requests. 

[7:15 PM] (Will) _Hey, sexy! ;) Thought I'd never hear from you!_  
[7:16 PM] (Will) _I'm doing well. How are you? Had any luck with your romantic pursuits?_

Hannibal sighed. Too long, then. Hannibal forced himself to wait at least two minutes before typing a reply.

[7:19 PM] (Hannibal) _I assumed you were busy with your work... and I have not._

Hannibal stared at the text he'd sent, wondering if it sounded too curt. Hannibal wasn't exactly keen to tell the man who had blown him in a bathroom stall at a fancy restaurant that he had deleted all of his apps because he had some sort of delusions about seeing Will again. Before Hannibal could move his thumbs to send clarification (aka "lie"), Hannibal's phone buzzed in his hand.

[7:21 PM] (Will) _Aww, poor thing! Those assholes are missing out! ;) What are you up to tonight?_

A knot the size of a basketball seemed to have sprung up in the middle of Hannibal's trachea as he read the text from Will, his mind racing with all sorts of possibilities. The most appealing one, of course, was to see Will again. 

[7:22 PM] (Hannibal) _I don't have anything planned. What about you?_  
[7:23 PM] (Will) _Just got home. Hoping the boss man doesn't call me in._  
[7:24 PM) (Hannibal) _Maybe you could come over?_

Hannibal waited for a return text to what he felt was a bold suggestion but by the tenth minute that had passed he was starting to feel as if he had overstepped his bounds. Hannibal quickly tapped out an additional message.

[7:35 PM] (Hannibal) _I'm sorry. I must sound so desperate._

When no reply came, Hannibal reached up and rubbed his palm over his face. It was obvious he was incredibly out of practice when it came to the art of flirtation and it didn't help that his self confidence was at an all-time low thanks to a string of rejections and failed relationships. Hannibal sighed and put down his phone, the screen going automatically dark now that no messages were coming in. 

"Great job, Hannibal." He chastised himself quietly, shaking his head and running his fingers through his hair from front to back. 

With a sigh, Hannibal glanced at the clock and considered the possibility of an early night. Maybe he would feel better tomorrow but then again, he told himself that very same thing every night. Standing up from his seat, Hannibal stretched his arms over his head and was about to head into the kitchen when his phone buzzed. Hannibal nearly dove for his phone, unlocking the screen so that he could check his messages. 

[7:49 PM] (Will) _Sorry about that, got a call._

Hannibal huffed a great sigh of relief and sat back down in his chair to type out an answer.

[7:50 PM] (Hannibal) _It's ok._  
[7:51 PM] (Will) _I'll have to take a raincheck on coming over. Early morning tomorrow. No rest for the wicked! >:D_

Hannibal couldn't help but feel the pang of disappointment as Will turned down his invitation. He was certain that Will had meant he had to go do some important work for the FBI but a small part of Hannibal insisted that Will was politely rejecting him.

[7:53 PM] (Hannibal) _Oh, ok. Another time, then._  
[7:54 PM] (Will) _:( Maybe you could keep me company while I wind down?_  
[7:55 PM] (Hannibal) _How would I do that?_  
[7:56 PM] (Will) _Tell me what we'd be doing if I had come over. I'll live vicariously through text lol_  
[7:59 PM] (Will) _Would we pick up where we last left off?_

Hannibal swallowed, his throat suddenly dry as he recalled the brief time that he and Will had spent together in that restroom stall. Surely Will wasn't asking him to talk about that over text... Feeling a moment of boldness, Hannibal typed and sent his response without thinking too much about it and second guessing himself.

[8:01 PM] (Hannibal) _You did say you'd let me reciprocate..._

Hannibal re-read his text and his nerves took over, a wave of anxiousness washing over him from head to toe. Hannibal seemed to be counting the seconds that passed until his phone buzzed in his hand.

[8:03 PM] (Will) _Mm, I did and I will. You've got the most beautiful lips, Hannibal._

Hannibal swallowed the lump in his throat and felt his cock stir between his legs. Was he really about to have a sexual conversation through text messages? What was it they called this type of thing nowadays..."sexting"? Hannibal's thumbs hovered over the keyboard on his screen for a moment as he thought about what he might say to that. It was abundantly clear that Will had every intention of honoring the possibility of a "next time", even though it would not be tonight. The thought that he would get to be in Will's company again sent a flurry of butterflies into flight in his stomach. 

[8:06 PM] (Hannibal) _Thank you._

Hannibal smacked the heel of his palm against his forehead. Thank you? _Really?_ Hannibal sighed and scrubbed over his face with one hand before putting his thumbs back to the keys.

[8:07 PM] (Hannibal) _You have nice lips too._

Hannibal groaned as soon as he hit send and let the message fly into the world. It was terribly, embarrassingly clear that Hannibal had never done this before. He could practically hear Will laughing uncontrollably from wherever he was.

[8:09 PM] (Will) _Did you like the feel of them, Hannibal? I liked the feeling of your cock in my mouth._

Hannibal paused for a moment as their tryst rose to the forefront of his mind once again. Hannibal's cock began to swell as he remembered how Will had sucked him dry. Hannibal licked his lips and palmed between his legs briefly as he contemplated what he would say to that.

[8:10 PM] (Hannibal) _Yeah that felt g----_

Erase.

[8:11 PM] (Hannibal) _You're really good at th---_

Erase.

Hannibal was growing increasingly frustrated with his lack of eloquence. He was a well-educated man and typically very well spoken...it was just that when it came to Will, Hannibal's brain seemed to short circuit. Hannibal closed his eyes for a moment as he thought about what he'd like to say, what he really wanted, and the words seemed to flow on their own.

[8:12 PM] (Hannibal) _I want to taste you._  
[8:13 PM] (Will) _I would like that very much. I can imagine all the sinful things that mouth could do..._  
[8:14 PM] (Hannibal) _I've imagined it, getting you off._  
[8:15 PM] (Will) _Did you touch yourself when you were imagining yourself on your knees for me?_

Hannibal moaned, the sound echoing off of the walls of the room he was in. He was immensely grateful for the fact that Will was so much better at this than he was. Hannibal's hand was still idly palming at his growing hard-on through the thin fabric of his trousers. Hannibal's teeth caught his lower lip as his thumb and forefinger popped the button out of its buttonhole and tugged down the fly impatiently. Hannibal worked his cock free from the confines of his trousers and his briefs and gave it a squeeze.

[8:16 PM] (Will) _Are you touching yourself now, Hannibal?_

Hannibal's hand stilled and he stared at the message on his screen. How could Will have known?

[8:17 PM] (Will) _I'd like it if you'd touch yourself for me. Will you do that for me, Hannibal?_

Hannibal moaned and nodded his head as if Will had been there, asking him in person.

[8:18 PM] (Hannibal) _I will._  
[8:18 PM] (Will) _Good. Imagine it's my hand there, stroking that beautiful cock. You would like that, wouldn't you, Hannibal? You feel so heavy in my hand and it makes me so hard to know just how much you want me._

Hannibal moaned again, closing his eyes for a moment as he committed that last text to memory. Hannibal's hand had begun to stroke and tug at his length, his hand circling at the tip before sliding back down to the base to do it again. Hannibal took a breath and exhaled shakily before typing a response with one hand.

[8:19 PM] (Hannibal) _I do want you. You're so beautiful, Will. I can't stop thinking about you._  
[8:20 PM] (Will) _I think about you too. I think about that flush on your cheeks after you came for me._  
[8:20 PM] (Will) _Will you come for me now, Hannibal?_

"Yes." Hannibal breathed aloud, closing his eyes and tilting his head back as he quickened the flick of his wrist, stroking himself faster until he could feel the tightness coiling inside of him. 

As the pleasure inside of him intensified Hannibal became too distracted by it to formulate a response and his free hand clutched his phone tight as his mind slipped further into the fantasy of being there with Will, feeling his fingers wrapped around his swollen flesh. Hannibal could picture those beautiful blue eyes staring into his very soul as they touched each other, kissed each other. Hannibal's toes curled and his muscles started to seize up, his pleasure building past the point of no return. It was a mischievous, slightly crooked smile from the Will in his mind that sent him over the edge. With a shout, Hannibal came into his hand, his back arching away from the seat he had been relaxing in. Hannibal's orgasm left him momentarily dazed as the endorphins rolled through his nervous system, making him feel light as a feather and warm all over. 

It was a few moments before Hannibal's senses came back to him and he remembered the phone clutched in his hand. As Hannibal took a shaky breath to center himself, he frowned at the mess all over his hand, some of the fluid having dripped onto the leg of his trousers. Hannibal raised his phone up to look at the screen just as the phone vibrated. Hannibal could see that same mischievous smile on Will's face as he read the newly-received message.

[8:24 PM] (Will) _Mm, how was it?_

Hannibal couldn't help but laugh, a short breathy sound, typing his response with one hand.

[8:25 PM] (Hannibal) _Wonderful... be better if you were here with me._  
[8:26 PM] (Will) _I'm off work on Thurs I could come over Wed night... I'd love to see you._

Hannibal's heart soared at the possibility of seeing Will again so soon, much sooner than he had thought.

[8:27 PM] (Hannibal) _Sounds perfect. I'll cook for you._  
[8:28 PM] (Will) _Oh, a chef?? How lucky can one man get?_  
[8:29 PM] (Will) _Sounds perfect. Text me your address and anything you want me to bring._

Hannibal felt himself getting preemptively proud of himself for having a hobby that Will seemed to admire. He loved to cook and he was more than eager to show off for Will. Hannibal was all smiles as he texted back, sending his address before he thought to add an addendum. 

[8:30 PM] (Hannibal) _Just your presence is all I need._  
[8:31 PM] (Will) _I'll be there at 7. See you then. Goodnight <3_

Hannibal stared at the last message received for a few moments, the butterflies back in his stomach. Maybe it was stupid - okay, it probably was stupid - but the heart emoji that Will had added to the end of his last message had been such a nice touch. It had given Hannibal the hope of something between them that might be more than just desire and good orgasms. Hannibal was still smiling as he typed his response.

[8:34 PM] (Hannibal) _Goodnight. Sweet dreams._

Hannibal set his phone down and stood up to make his way to the nearest sink and clean his hands. He shucked his trousers next, tossing them into the dirty clothes hamper before returning to his seat. Looking down, Hannibal smiled as he re-read the last two messages in the conversation. 

Picking up his phone, Hannibal took it into his bedroom and plugged it in before setting it down on the bedside table. By the time he had cleaned up and finished the few tasks he had on his agenda it was already late and he had an early patient tomorrow morning. Hannibal settled into bed and looked at Will's text one more time before he set his phone down and turned out the light.

Hannibal had two days to create the perfect menu and it was the seemingly endless possibilities and Will's beautiful smile that were on Hannibal's mind as he drifted off to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

The rest of Monday and all day Tuesday were nigh unbearable. Every minute seemed to stretch for an eternity as Hannibal intermittently glared at his watch, willing it to go faster. 

By the time Wednesday finally arrived, Hannibal had spent a good four hours scouring the recipes on his rolodex and in his numerous cookbooks for the perfect things to serve Will. Hannibal wanted to ensure that the meal he served was delicious and impressive without seeming too pretentious. After much deliberation, Hannibal had decided on a menu of  
grilled vegetable antipasto with herbed chevre on crostini, Sole Meuniere with lemon butter sauce and a tarte tatin for dessert. After a visit to the local market for the freshest ingredients he could procure, Hannibal made his way back home to begin his mise en place a few hours ahead of Will's anticipated arrival.

When seven o'clock rolled around, Will rang the doorbell right on time. Hannibal wiped his hands on a kitchen towel and made his way to the front door, pulling it open without a moment's hesitation. Hannibal had already been smiling in anticipation of seeing Will but as the door swung open enough to see his guest, Hannibal's expression became one of surprise. Will stood on Hannibal's doorstep dressed in a black slacks and suspenders over a crisp, light blue dress shirt. In his hands was a bouquet of a dozen or so pink and white peonies. 

"You brought me flowers." Hannibal managed, more of a statement to himself than anything. 

Will's lips curved into a smile and he nodded his head, offering Hannibal the bouquet. Hannibal took a moment to tilt his head and take in the sweet scent of the lovely blossoms. He could feel his cheeks heating up to match the hue of the flowers.

"Since you wouldn't let me bring a dish, I thought I'd at least add to the decor." Will explained, still smiling as he watched Hannibal study the bouquet with wonder in his dark eyes.

Hannibal seemed to remember his manners after a moment and he stepped aside, gesturing with his free hand toward the inside of his home. 

"Thank you for the flowers, Will. They are quite beautiful. Please, come in." Hannibal invited, offering Will a soft smile as he clutched the flowers to his chest.

Will crossed the threshold and smiled as he looked around. Hannibal's home was large and softly lit, filled with ornate looking furnishings and unique decorations. It was entirely opposite of what Will might have expected from the man, given Hannibal's outward appearance and mannerisms.

"Some house you've got here!" Will remarked, whistling his surprise. 

Hannibal shut the door and locked it, bowing his head slightly.

"Thank you. I am the heir to my family's estate and most of these items you see I've either collected or have belonged to my family for some time." Hannibal explained, wondering if Will thought differently about him now that he saw how he lived.

Will nodded, drawing his eyes away from the painting he'd been studying to look at Hannibal.

"Was your father a King or something?" Will asked with a soft, good-natured laugh.

"A Count." Hannibal corrected, pausing for a moment in quiet reflection before he reached out to press a gentle hand to the small of Will's back. "Let me show you the kitchen. It is perhaps my favorite room in the entire house." 

Will nodded amicably, filing that bit of information away for a later time as he let Hannibal guide him through the house to the kitchen at its heart. As they entered the kitchen Will whistled as he looked around. It was evident that Hannibal took his cooking very seriously...he had the kind of kitchen you could see on the Food Network but classier. Will looked at the array of foodstuffs in little dishes and bowls on the countertop and turned his head to smile at Hannibal.

"So, what's for dinner?" Will asked, watching as Hannibal pulled away from Will to begin the preparations. 

Hannibal smiled as he got out a pan and set it on the gas range.

"You must never ask what's for dinner, Will...it ruins the surprise." Hannibal said with as bright a smile as Will had yet seen on his face.

Will barked a soft laugh and raised his hands in surrender, his eyes raising to watch Hannibal as he moved about the kitchen with the grace of a dancer, handling the ingredients with care and precision. 

"Okay, okay. Your house, your rules. Can I at least help?" Will asked, squinting as he tried to discern what it was that Hannibal was currently preparing. 

Hannibal shook his head, glancing up from the pan before him which was steadily heating. A buzzer went off right on time and Hannibal moved to pull out an array of grilled vegetables that he had grilled off before Will had arrived. Reaching for a trivet, Hannibal set the hot pan down and looked up at Will. 

"I have dinner covered but if you'd like to make yourself comfortable I do appreciate the company. I've got a variety of options available if you'd like a drink. Can I get you something?" Hannibal responded, moving to a cutting board as he grabbed a baguette. 

Will chuckled as Hannibal denied his offered assistance and even went so far as to offer to make him a drink. It was clear that the man was intent on handling this evening all on his own. 

"I'm happy to pour my own drink. You're doing all of this for me." Will replied, looking around the kitchen in search of the glasses and drink options. "Where do you keep your glasses and more importantly, where do you keep your adult beverages?" 

Hannibal laughed as he cut the bread into neat, uniform little slices. Hannibal dabbed the surface of the bread with olive oil and arranged them on a pan before popping them in the oven.

"The glasses are in this cabinet here..." Hannibal explained, gesturing to the aforementioned cabinet. "...and the liquor cabinet is in the next room." 

Will nodded his head and turned to head into the next room to take stock of what Hannibal had on offer before he chose any sort of delivery vessels. When Will returned from perusing the selection of bottles to grab the glasses the timer was going off again and Hannibal was pulling the bread back out of the oven and setting the pan down. Will grabbed a tumbler and made his way back into the other room to pour himself some quality bourbon. As Will returned to the kitchen with glass held carefully in hand, Hannibal was watching two filets of fish, basting them with butter. 

"Have you ever considered opening a restaurant? It smells amazing in here." Will commented softly perching nearby to watch Hannibal cook.

Hannibal shook his head as he continued to mind the fish, obviously very keen to ensure that it was cooked perfectly.

"It's just a hobby of mine." Hannibal answered, taking a moment away from the fish to begin quickly plating the first course.

Will's brows raised as he continued to watch Hannibal move swiftly, going effortlessly from one task to the next. 

"Just a hobby? You look like a professional. You should see me in the kitchen... my best dish probably looks like something you'd toss in the garbage and do over." Will said with a good-natured laugh.

"I'm sure you're just being hard on yourself." Hannibal murmured, looking up as he arranged slices of grilled veggies atop the chevre he'd smeared atop the crostini before moving the finished product to a platter.

"I'm sure you're not giving yourself enough credit." Will answered, taking a sip of his bourbon. 

Hannibal glanced up at Will with a strange sort of expression on his face, as if it had been a long time since anyone had said something like that to him. Will watched as Hannibal kept his rebuttal to himself and turned back to the fish, finishing it off before taking the fish off the heat and plating it. 

Will looked over the food arranged so artfully on the countertop with something resembling awe. He had eaten in plenty of high class establishments and he was certain that Hannibal could serve any of this and charge a premium for it...and that was before he even tasted a single bite. Hannibal, meanwhile, had returned to the stove and seemed to be preparing a sauce of some sort. Will had another sip of his bourbon before parting his lips to speak.

"Maybe no one gives you the credit you deserve." Will observed, his tone soft as he watched Hannibal work. "I'm going to have to work on that. I can't have you thinking you're mediocre when you're anything but." 

Hannibal could feel the tips of his ears heating as he listened to Will speak, the words sending a bit of nervous flutter through him. Hannibal focused on the task at hand, bringing the lemony sauce together in the pan so that he wouldn't think too much about the things Will said to him or how badly he wanted that to be true. 

"I'm serious, you know." Will started, smiling as he spoke. "I can be a huge pain in the ass when I set my mind to something. I'll have you believing in yourself in no time."

The flush that Hannibal had felt beginning spread to his cheeks and he ducked his head forward so that it wasn't obvious in the bright light of the kitchen. 

"I believe you." Hannibal said simply, hearing the sincerity in Will's voice in spite of the humor that colored his words. 

Will smiled like the cat had gotten the mouse, pleased to hear Hannibal accept his fate. Will had seen the potential in Hannibal the night they met. Hannibal was intelligent, handsome and apparently incredibly talented. Will couldn't help but think that he had won the social lottery by being in the right place at the right time. 

For the first time in a long while, Will found himself smiling to himself as he considered the possibilities. With Hannibal he saw the option for something greater than a night of passion or a bit of fun now and then. It was far too soon to jump to any conclusions or make any plans for whatever future they might have but one thing was very clear and that was that Hannibal was different than any man he'd ever met and at the very least, Will knew he had made a great friend.

"Will?" Hannibal started, looking at Will from across the island. 

Will blinked and looked up at Hannibal, having been lost in his thoughts. Shaking his head, Will laughed at himself.

"If you'd take a seat, I will be right in with our dinner." Hannibal said with his own smile on his lips. 

Will nodded his head and stood from his seat, heading into the next room with his glass in hand. Hannibal followed shortly thereafter as promised, dish after dish of beautiful food in his hands. When everything was put in place and they were both served and seated, Will took his first bite of Hannibal's cooking and moaned at the taste of it. 

"Jesus Christ, Hannibal... we are opening you a restaurant immediately!" Will exclaimed, the sentiment too urgent to wait until he had finished his meal.

Hannibal smiled a sweet smile, the happiness shining in his dark eyes. Hannibal had waited politely for Will's assessment before he tucked into his own plate of food. Now that he had Will's overwhelming approval, Hannibal took up his cutlery and began his meal. About forty-five minutes passed in relative silence save for the obscene sounds of delight that Will made when he tried something new and Hannibal's quiet responses to his praise when Will was able to articulate his opinions. 

After dessert had come and gone, Will found himself perched beside Hannibal as Hannibal tended to the dishes. Will had offered to help Hannibal but of course Hannibal had dismissed the offer and carried on with cleanup by himself. It wasn't long before the dishes were done and Hannibal was drying the little spots of water that had splashed onto the countertop before turning to offer Will a smile.

"Do you need to be going?" Hannibal asked, obviously hoping that the answer was no without going so far as to say it outright.

Will shook his head and offered Hannibal a cheeky grin.

"I most certainly do not. Nothing on the agenda for tomorrow! You're stuck with me tonight." Will answered, his grin widening ever so slightly.

The relief that Hannibal felt washed over him like a wave and he visibly relaxed his shoulders before he gestured toward the sitting room across the hall.

"Would you like to join me, then? I enjoy relaxing after a meal." Hannibal suggested, waiting for a nod of approval before turning to lead Will into the next room.

Hannibal took a seat on a large, comfortable sofa and relaxed back into the cushion behind him, closing his eyes for a moment as he sighed. Will stayed on his feet for a moment, taking in the room in the hopes of learning a little bit more about Hannibal's life. There were books upon books, stacked neatly on bookshelves that lined two sids of the room. In one corner was a desk upon which were some drawings, mostly of architecture but a few of nameless people. 

"Did you draw these?" Will asked, looking up from the stack of papers at Hannibal.

Hannibal opened his eyes, looking across the room to see Will standing to the side of his desk. His initial inclination was to think that there was criticism coming his way but the look on Will's face said otherwise and so Hannibal nodded, claiming the drawings silently.

"They're incredible. I guess we're opening a gallery next to your restaurant." Will said softly, smiling as he crossed the room.

Will dropped down onto the sofa next to Hannibal, leaving only enough room between them to avoid being impolite. Hannibal chuckled as he considered Will's comment about the gallery though the laughter faded relatively quickly.

"Why don't you believe me when I say you're amazing?" Will started, a tender caution in his voice.

Hannibal avoided Will's eyes, choosing to focus on his own hands that were resting in his lap. 

"Praise is not something I hear very often." Hannibal answered quietly.

Will frowned as he registered Hannibal's response but unable to comprehend why Hannibal would be a stranger to kind words. 

"Well it should be. Everything I've seen you do has been executed to perfection. I'm not just blowing sunshine up your ass... you're really impressive, Hannibal." Will followed up, reaching over with one hand to rest it gently atop Hannibal's forearm.

Hannibal's gaze zeroed in on the hand on his arm, the small gesture giving him comfort and temporarily silencing the voices of doubt that whispered at him from the darkest corners of his mind. Hannibal's gaze traced Will's form from his fingertips to his wrist and further along his arm to the curve of his neck and shoulder before Hannibal's gaze finally met Will's.

"Thank you." Hannibal said, his words so genuine it hurt Will to hear them. 

Will pulled his hand from Hannibal's arm, raising it to cup Hannibal's cheek gently.

"Thanks are not required when I'm only telling the truth." 

Will leaned in, tilting his head so that he could fit his lips to Hannibal's sealing his words with a kiss. Hannibal made the softest sound in response, turning his body toward Will so that he could reach out, his hands seeking purchase anywhere they could find it. Will turned his body to accommodate Hannibal, moving himself closer so that Hannibal could draw his arms around him. Hannibal's embrace was tentative and Will could only think to answer it with his own strong embrace to give Hannibal the courage to stop overthinking things let himself just be in the moment. 

Encouraged by Will's actions, Hannibal put more of himself into their kiss, caressing Will's lips with his own. Will answered each movement with one of his own, his tongue darting out after a moment to brush along Hannibal's lower lip in a bid to deepen their kiss. Hannibal yielded and parted his lips, only too happy to let things progress further. For several minutes the two of them were lost in the kisses they shared, each moment that passed adding to the building tension between them until it was so thick that the both of them could feel it surrounding them like a fog. 

Will was the first to pull back, Hannibal chasing the lost heat of his lips briefly before Will's hand at his cheek stilled him. Looking up into Will's face, Hannibal could see the color on Will's cheeks and the pink of Will's slightly swollen lips. Hannibal was sure that he had never seen anything quite so beautiful in his life.

"Why don't you show me your bedroom and let me give you the attention you deserve?" Will suggested, the promise of pleasure in his crystalline eyes. 

Hannibal swallowed, the idea undeniably appealing and just a little bit nerve-wracking. Sure, they had shared moments of pleasure between them already but the unspoken trajectory of their evening was clear and it had been a while since Hannibal had fully given himself to someone. As unsure of himself as he was, Hannibal knew that he wanted nothing more than to spend as much time with Will as Will would allow and if that involved putting himself out there and giving himself over to something so intimate as he knew sex could be then so be it.  


Standing from the sofa, Hannibal reached for Will's hand.

"Follow me." Hannibal invited, offering an almost shy smile to his would-be lover.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your kind comments! It's because of them that I've been inspired to write so quickly. <3

**Author's Note:**

> I regret nothing. Thanks for reading! <3


End file.
